Welcome.
This meditation is on forgiveness.
And forgiveness is one of the most healing and empowering acts we can embrace because it creates space for peace,
Restores energy that has been bound up in resentment,
And reconnects us with our inner strength.
Forgiveness can be challenging and sometimes even feel impossible to ever do.
But remember,
Forgiveness isn't about condoning harmful actions or denying our pain.
It's about releasing ourselves from the burden of carrying it.
So I invite you to walk with me through this meditation in whatever way will best serve you at this moment.
I invite you to open your heart to the possibility of forgiveness,
Allowing compassion and gentleness to bring ease,
Clarity,
And renewal.
So if you haven't already done so,
Begin to settle into a position that will be the most supportive for you right now.
I'm going to start this meditation with some metta or loving kindness.
Then we'll move into asking forgiveness of others we may have harmed,
And then offering forgiveness to someone who has caused us harm.
And we'll end the meditation by returning back to metta.
Let's go ahead and begin by taking a few full cleansing breaths.
Maybe breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth for a few breaths.
Allowing the eyes to be open or closed,
Your preference.
If your eyes are open,
Then just softening your gaze.
And I offer you the reminder that this is all an invitation to connect with your own heart and life and to do what is most healing and supportive for you with this meditation.
Forgiveness,
Both for ourselves and others,
Is a slow and tender process.
It takes time,
And there shouldn't be any timeline imposed upon it.
Trust yourself and your heart,
And sense what is right for you with this forgiveness practice today.
Allowing your breath to find its own natural rhythm now.
Sensing the surface you're resting on,
All the points of contact.
Feel the body connection to the surface beneath you that's offering support and grounding.
Take this in.
That solid surface of ground,
The body breathing itself.
Let your attention open to the breath,
Breathing gently in the area of your heart space.
And as you focus here,
I'll offer you a few loving kindness phrases.
To sense into.
May I be held in loving kindness.
May I feel safe and at ease.
May I feel protected from inner and outer harm.
May I accept myself just as I am.
May I find true refuge within my own being.
May my heart and mind awaken.
May I be free.
Within this tenderness of the heart,
Notice if there is any sense of a barrier or block to emotions you may be carrying around things you haven't forgiven yourself for or forgiven others for.
Simply tuning into the felt sense of resistance to the idea of forgiveness.
Notice how you may experience this in your heart,
Body,
Mind and spirit.
Honor whatever your experience is.
Always feeling free to return to the felt sense of your body being held by the surface you're resting on or your breath.
Or an image or phrase that is grounding for you.
We'll now begin asking and extending forgiveness.
I invite you to follow along with these words as if they're your words and allow the images and feelings that come and go to be there with kindness and compassion.
There are many ways that I have hurt or harmed others,
Have betrayed them,
Caused them suffering,
Knowingly and unknowingly,
Out of my own pain and fear,
Anger,
Confusion and ignorance.
We've all done so.
Let yourself remember or connect with one way in which you may have hurt others.
Choose one particular circumstance that you feel okay asking forgiveness for today.
Or simply hold in your heart the intention to ask for forgiveness for harm you may have caused that you are not conscious of.
Maybe visualize or just sense the hurt or pain you've caused out of your own fear and confusion,
Lack of awareness or understanding.
Allow yourself to feel any regret you carry around this.
And now sense that you can release the burden and ask for forgiveness.
Picture this person or persons in your mind,
Holding a tenderness in your heart for them and yourself.
Maybe envisioning them surrounded in golden light,
And offer these words,
In the ways that I've hurt or harmed you,
Betrayed or abandoned you,
Caused you suffering,
Out of my fear and pain and anger and confusion,
I ask for your forgiveness.
I ask for your forgiveness.
Please forgive me.
Forgive me.
And sense that you can be forgiven.
I ask for your forgiveness.
And just as we have inevitably caused harm to others,
Others have caused harm to us,
Sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly,
In thought,
In word or action.
This next invitation is to extend forgiveness out to another.
Let yourself remember or picture one hurt or sorrow,
You carry from another.
Very tenderly call upon this,
And choose one,
One way you've been hurt or betrayed,
That feels okay for you to be with right now.
In this moment.
Sense any emotions you carry from this,
Where and how you experience them in your body.
Notice that you can release this burden and constriction,
By extending forgiveness,
When your heart is ready to do so.
If you can intend to forgive,
You can begin to forgive.
Envision yourself surrounded in golden light,
And offer these words.
You have betrayed me and harmed me,
Out of your fear and confusion,
Out of your pain and anger.
I've carried this pain in my being,
Body,
Heart,
Mind and spirit.
To the extent that I'm ready and capable,
I now offer you forgiveness.
To the extent that I'm ready,
I turn my heart in the direction of forgiveness.
I release you.
I release me.
And notice the possibility of moving toward forgiveness,
Just now.
Lifting the burdens of the heart,
Mind,
Body and spirit.
Hold yourself with care.
Let's turn to the loving kindness phrases we started with.
It may feel comforting to place one hand or both hands on your heart space.
May I be held in loving kindness.
May I feel safe and at ease.
May I feel protected from inner and outer harm.
May I accept myself just as I am.
May I find true refuge within my own being.
May my heart and mind awaken.
May I be free.
Slowly and gently,
Begin to bring yourself back to the waking state.
Feeling what is present.
Sensing the temperature of the air on your face or any exposed skin.
Observing any sounds,
Smells or tastes.
Be kind and gentle with yourself as you return to life.
And maybe before ending your meditation practice,
Experience the feeling of gratitude for taking the time to practice.
For embracing the possibilities that forgiveness has to offer.
Thank you for allowing me to share in this experience with you.
